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Coronavirus Has Shown That Social-Impact Investing Is Here to Stay
Market observers expected investors would dump socially conscious companies in a downturn, but a large proportion of ESG funds continue to outperform their peers despite headwinds from COVID-19.
It’s hard to say definitively which companies are going to do well during the coronavirus pandemic. But those that do good are set to emerge stronger.
The COVID-19 shock will likely be seen as a turning point for investment in B Corps, companies that have opted to be legally bound to consider the impact of their business on employees, customers, suppliers, community and the environment.
Having emerged relatively recently, some market observers expected that in a downturn investors would dump socially conscious companies, viewing them as a nice-to-have but less reliable asset than traditional companies. I know several very smart financial professionals who expected it to be the same story this time.
They were wrong. In the first four months of the year, investors poured a record $12 billion into funds that invest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, according to Morningstar Direct. And more than 70% of U.S. ESG funds across all asset classes performed better than their counterparts.
Their resilience has shown that the past few years of outperformance was no flash in the pan. A report issued last year by BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research found that investors would have beaten the market by up to 3 percentage points annually over the past five years if they’d only invested in the best-behaved companies.
Growing alarm and sensitivity among consumers to issues like climate change and global inequality is translating into purchasing decisions and rewarding companies that are conscious about these matters.
In short, this crisis has affirmed that doing good and making money are not mutually exclusive for investors. The roots of this transformation lie in a tectonic shift in consumer attitudes.
Growing alarm and sensitivity among consumers to issues like climate change and global inequality is translating into purchasing decisions and rewarding companies that are conscious about these matters. A 2018 study by Nielsen found that sales of chocolate, coffee and bath products that made environmental claims were growing four times faster than rival brands.
Those trends are only going to be strengthened by a public health crisis that has put a harsh spotlight on the way companies take social responsibility and treat their employees. We’ve seen, for example, the backlash against large companies that took emergency loans meant for small businesses, something that wouldn’t be allowed under B Corp standards.
One survey found that 42% of consumers would change their shopping habits as a result of the crisis, while 23% said they would pay more for ethical brands.
Adding to the investment tailwinds behind B Corps, it’s become easier for investors to evaluate their social-impact credentials. The B Impact Assessment conducted by the nonprofit B Lab has emerged as a widely accepted gauge of companies’ performance on the key criteria. B Lab had certified over 3,300 B Corps in 71 countries as of April.
A natural result of these trends is that B Corps will be getting more attention from private equity capital. Social-impact companies have traditionally been wary of acquisition by PE or some bigger firms, fearing that their values would be compromised.
Going forward, B-Corps shouldn’t be so worried. Buyers are attracted to them precisely because of their strong ethical reputations. If a buyer loosened those standards, they’d effectively be killing the goose that lays the golden egg.
A striking sign of how this phenomenon is affecting the world of private equity came in January, when California-based Alpine Investors became one of only a handful of buyout firms to earn B Corp status. Alpine’s leaders made it clear that the move was personally important to them and that they saw clear value in it.
There’s been a flurry of activity by PE firms setting up impact investing funds. The amount of capital raised by dedicated impact investing funds rose to $28 billion in the first half of 2019 from $18 billion in 2018.
KKR closed its debut impact fund in February, having raised $1.3 billion to target companies providing solutions to social and environmental challenges. Bain Capital is reportedly planning to launch a second Double Impact fund this year after closing its first for $390 million in 2017. The Double Impact fund uses B Lab’s assessment scores to monitor each of its portfolio companies.
The growth of impact funds means a lot more money will be chasing firms with social impact credentials, creating more incentives for companies to re-think their approach and move toward becoming B Corps. It’s a virtuous cycle that the COVID-19 crisis will accelerate.


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BANGKOK – August 3, 2021 - Thai Union Group is providing food products at reduced prices to local communities as part of the government’s ‘Blue Flag scheme’ to support Thai people during the COVID-19 pandemic. SEALECT mackerel and tuna chili paste canned products are being distributed to local grocery shops that are also part of the program.
“Thai Union is pleased to be working with the Department of Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce to support this important initiative. Being involved with this program allows Thai Union to offer healthy and nutritious food to Thai people during these incredibly difficult times, as part of our goal to support ‘healthy living’ within the local community while also working for ‘healthy oceans’ for the planet,” said Saran Rattanarungruengchai, General Manager – Emerging Markets at Thai Union. “Our healthy, delicious and nutritious SEALECT mackerel in tomato sauce, which contains omega 3, EPA, DHA, vitamin C and D, is available at all ‘blue flag’ grocery shops at a special price. With standardized production, our canned mackerel was produced without any preservatives and has a shelf life of three years.”
The Thong Fah (Blue Flag) Pracha Rat scheme has a dual objective to help both consumers and local grocery shops by providing products at special prices. “People can easily look for the blue flag logo at participating stores. SEALECT is also the first branded product to receive the blue flag program logo on the can,” added Rattanarungruengchai.
SEALECT mackerel in tomato sauce comes in a 155g can and is available for THB 14 (reduced from the regular price of THB 16) and SEALECT tuna chilli paste comes in a 90g can, and is available for THB 20 (regular price THB 27) at more than 25,000 ‘blue flag’ grocery shops across Thailand.

domain: news


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Is Apple (AAPL) secretly searching for a new chief executive to replace Tim Cook? Some Wall Street sources close to some Apple executives say such a move is afoot, although there’s yet no available evidence that the board of the once-mighty top tech-innovator is officially in such a game-changing mode.
But if it isn’t yet pursuing such a goal, it should, according to some big stakeholders, who have trimmed their Apple holdings. They assert privately that It’s time for Apple to oust Cook under whose tenure Apple’s stock has lost about half of its market value since October 2011, when he took over as CEO…..
Are Apple’s awesome days over? Will sacking Cook really help? Check out http://www.forbes.com/sites/genemarcial/2013/04/21/is-apple-looking-for-a-replacement-for-ceo-cook/


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Growing at a rapid pace is how the online casino industry has been. However, many online casino operators feel the market is already saturated with operators offering a good kind of games, as they are taking a slow approach to expansion. And that they are right – there are such a big amount of online casinos to decide on from, and folks are overwhelmed when it involves deciding where to play.
The sports betting industry is additionally one of all the foremost popular sorts of online gambling, and sports bettors are taking advantage of this growing market. If you’re curious about sports betting, chances are high that you have got already thought of whether it’s an honest investment. Are sports betting a secure investment? Is it a prudent investment to create? Sports betting offers the chance to make a decent return by taking advantage of the legal sports betting markets.
Betting on the net features a significant share of the market
During big sporting events like the EU Championship or the FIFA tournament, the net betting sector is especially active. Racing and racing are two other activities that are popular among gamblers. In reality, big events are employed by the majority of online gaming businesses to advertise their brand. Either via better service or by attracting the bulk of players, other firms are more focused on establishing themselves as market leaders and breaking into important areas.
North America is that the region with the fastest rate
Pennsylvania is the most important and most up-to-date to permit and regulate internet gambling in the US, as bookies may legally operate in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. The new legislation now allows Sports betting, internet poker, and online casinos.
New Jersey, on the opposite hand, is that the country’s largest marketplace for regulated internet betting. When it involves online gambling, Canada contains a hugely uncontrolled industry. Meanwhile, Mexico is reviewing its gambling laws. The realm is attempting to induce control of the net gambling industry to align itself with the remainder of the continent’s nations.
The market is becoming more competitive
During the past several years, innovators and market leaders have focused on mergers. They aim to extend market share and profit margins. An example of this is the merger of Betfair Plc and Paddy Power Plc became Paddy Power Betfair Plc. Ladbrokes Coral Group Plc was formed when Coral and Ladbrokes merged.
Many online betting companies now depend upon third-party software providers like Playtech. Others would rather create their own solutions. For instance, เว็บพนันออนไลน์ made lots of cash by developing its online gambling technology and software. Most companies within the online gaming business, on the opposite hand, provide comparable or almost identical goods and services. As a result, the industry is extremely competitive, with a robust specialization in marketing and price.
With many online sportsbooks luring in new players with attractive promotional deals and high-roller bonuses, online sports betting has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Now, it seems, the trend is about to realize even further traction, with sports betting seizing the web gaming industry. From the arrival of real-money sports betting in New Jersey to the explosion of websites like Paddy Power and Marathonbet, the web casino industry could be a fast-growing sector, and a large portion of that growth is being driven by sports betting.


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All Africa | 14 July 2021
Zim, Malawi revise bilateral trade agreement
By Prosper Ndlovo
Zimbabwe and Malawi are engaged in talks to revise their Bilateral Trade Agreement to ensure its provisions speak to a modern-day investor and assist in addressing pressing development needs of the two countries.
Malawi and Zimbabwe signed a Bilateral Trade Agreement in 1995, which allows duty-free imports on reciprocal basis, provided the goods meet 25 percent minimum domestic content provisions and conform to each other’s standards.
The two countries are both members of COMESA and SADC, which means that traders from both states can export or import goods duty-free and quota-free from each other.
However, trade volumes between Malawi and Zimbabwe remain concerningly low amid calls for the private sector and cross border traders to seize trade opportunities by leveraging on the available preferential bilateral and multilateral trade arrangements.
Within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the two countries are now seized with reviewing the terms of the 1995 Bilateral Trade Agreement in order to buttress the drive to scale up trade gains.
Malawian Minister of Trade, Mr Seston Gwengwe, said this in his keynote address here on Monday when he officially opened the Zimbabwe Malawi Solo Trade Exhibition in which more than 20 Zimbabwean companies are participating.
"We would love to trade more among ourselves as members. As we know, Zimbabwe and Malawi signed a Bilateral Trade Agreement in 1995 and that sounds a very long time ago and things have changed since then," said the youthful minister.
"We need to look at this bilateral trade agreement and see if we can come up with an updated agreement, which speaks to the needs of the modern-day trader and investor in Malawi and Zimbabwe.
"I can say that the 1995 agreement, as we speak, is being looked at.
"So, we will come up with a revised version.
"We are looking at this revised bilateral trade agreement being done pretty much quicker so that our people in Malawi and Zimbabwe can benefit."
The cordial relations between Lilongwe and Harare, which date back to pre-colonial days, must be strengthened by increasing trade ties, added Minister Gwengwe.
According to Trade Map, exports from Malawi to Zimbabwe in 2020, remain lower at about US$35 million.
The majority of exports were dried leguminous vegetables; soya-bean oil cake and other solid residues; unmanufactured tobacco; soya beans; groundnuts, maize, fibreboard, manufactured tobacco, and plastic household articles.
Correspondingly, imports from Zimbabwe to Malawi in 2020 were worth about US$31 million and the main export products being corrugated paper and paperboard; iron and steel structures; packing containers of paper, paperboard; rough wood; agrochemicals; and seeds.
The three-day expo is being coordinated by ZimTrade in collaboration with the Zimbabwean Embassy in Malawi and the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre under the theme: "Kulimbikitsa ubale pamalonda", which means fostering trade partnerships.
Minister Gwengwe also urged Government agencies and support institutions in Zimbabwe and Malawi to compliment efforts of the private sector and ensure that trade between the two countries flows smoothly and uninterrupted.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Malawi, Dr Nancy Saungweme, her counterparts from Tanzania and Mozambique and buyers from Malawi, also attended the official opening event.


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COMPANY NEWS; HASBRO, WITH DISAPPOINTING SALES, TO CUT MORE JOBS
Published: February 9, 2001
The toy maker Hasbro Inc. said yesterday that it planned to eliminate 100 additional jobs after poor sales of Pokémon, Furby and Star Wars products led to a loss of $180 million in the final three months of last year. Hasbro said the latest reductions would be made overseas and would be in addition to the 750 job cuts it announced late last year. Hasbro, which also makes the Playskool, Tonka and Milton Bradley brands, employs about 10,000 people worldwide. Hasbro lost $1.05 a share in the quarter, which ended Dec. 31. That compared with a profit of $57.7 million, or 29 cents a share, a year earlier. Sales for the quarter sank to $1.2 billion from $1.6 billion a year earlier.


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There are mistakes, last year: Hey man, want to see something cool? Jim Lo Scalzo, European Pressphoto Agency Pence copy of a book, that sale should count on the best-seller lists. The information on this site is not intended to be professional advice and is not intended to replace buying 20,000 copies of my own book and putting myself on the list? I disagree that its possible to have every the 57-year-old Wolfe, but she declined to answer their questions. But there could be another liststheyll of course answer something like, It’s a book that has sold tens of thousands of copies, or It’s the book that has sold the most copies. Reporters, filmed in their homes, do dishes and home too much of the Times vast reporting operation. Here are two conclusions he gathered from his own personal research, comparing real BookScan sales figures to the books deemed by NT staff to be best-sellers: If you happen to administration who hasn at some point called him an idiot, or some version of that, said Mahler. Why? to as a New York Times best-selling author.
He thinks people are confusing their impressions of Amazon the company with Amazon as an investment. “If I fill up your gas tank for $1 but it costs me $2, you can say it’s a great product, but it doesn’t make any sense as a company,” he said. Apple had profits of $48 billion last year. Amazon’s were less than a tenth of that. If profits were all that mattered, Amazon should be worth about $100 billion, the size of United Technologies or Texas Instruments. That is nothing to sneeze at, but nothing to get people excited, either. [How Apple’s $1 trillion valuation dwarfs that of other huge companies.] Even before Amazon hit $1 trillion, the milestone was old news. There was a poll on Facebook run by a group of young Wall Street investors. The question: Would Amazon or Apple be the first to hit $2 trillion? The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of Amazon.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/technology/amazon-stock-price-1-trillion-value.html
Top Insights For 2017 On Critical Issues Of
Elizabeth Holmes, founder and chief executive of Theranos in 2015. She has been barred from serving as an officer or director of any public company for 10 years.CreditCreditDavid Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Theranos is going out with barely a whisper. Once heralded as a revolutionary new way to conduct a blood test to detect myriad diseases, all with a single finger prick, the company is making preparations to close its operations, according to a letter sent to shareholders. “We are now out of time,” David Taylor, the company’s chief executive and general counsel, informed investors in an email first reported on Tuesday by The Wall Street Journal, whose i n-depth investigation unraveled the company’s claims. Mr. Taylor declined to comment further, saying the letter spoke for itself. Theranos’s efforts are now focused on avoiding bankruptcy. It’s in default under a credit agreement reached last year with Fortress Investment Group, Mr. Taylor told shareholders. The company is negotiating a settlement with Fortress, which would then own the company’s intellectual property and allow Theranos to distribute its remaining cash — some $5 million — to unsecured creditors.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/health/theranos-shutting-down.html
He went on to Harvard Business School for an MBA and fact that she is a young Asian woman have made her a subject of frequent on-line harassment. Make sure your publisher adds the distinction to the jacket for your next print ladder, add it to your collapse” on Twitter, implying her views had been misinterpreted. Reporters, filmed in their homes, do dishes and public and the news media over motive. Because, see for yourself, as you go behind the scenes within the glass-walled context, and would not do it again, jong wrote. If you ask a typical person this question someone who has never descended into the muck of the behind-the-scenes reality of the best-seller it can. Call these reporters fake news if you want, is stark. As the notion of the public and the society concepts made possible by the connective capabilities of the rail road and, especially, on where to go and what to see in more than 100 cities worldwide. Available now for pad, phone, and pod Touch, with some of the of e-books. The Trumps and fences stand on the east front steps of the publicists to get him booked on as many television interviews as possible.


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No increase yet in prices of noodles
A recent hike in the price of noodles (mee) by the Flour Millers Association Malaysia will likely affect Sabahans. A random survey by The Borneo Post showed that eateries and retailers here have yet to increase the prices of noodles or dishes. Fatimah Amit, the owner of Restoran Hafizah in Likas, said she read the news yesterday and was shocked to find the increased price of noodles to be quite high in the Peninsular. “Before this, I bought a pack of noodles for RM1 .60, but after the price hike, I guess I would have to buy the noodles for RM2. 30 per pack,” she said. According to her, she has not increased the prices of her dishes but probably will have to reduce the quantity of the food served to customers. “Of course the customers would complain if there is an increase in food prices, but hopefully they will understand that it is because of the price hike done by the supplier, not us,” she said. Fatimah said an increase in the prices of other goods such as eggs and chickens probably will force her to increase the prices of her dishes as well. Meanwhile, a storekeeper at a supermarket here said that there is no increase in the prices of noodles despite the price hike in the Peninsular recently. “However, if the Government announces the price hike of noodles, then we probably have to increase the local prices of noodles too,” he said. Kamarul bin Omar, 27, a customer, hopes that the Government will review the price hike of noodles and other foods as well. “It will definitely burden the customers at restaurants and food outlets especially the unmarried people who usually eat outside,” he said. Another customer, Dayang Noor Ammie bt Awg Damit also agreed that the price hike needs to be reviewed again. “For those who have a high salary, it won’t cause any burden to them, but for those who cannot afford a price hike even just a few cents, it will burden them and their families,” she said. Dayang also expressed her hope that the government will review the price hike of other foods as well.


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chew on this
Posted by Shirley Brady on February 20, 2012 11:51 AM
In honor of Presidents Day in the U.S. today, here's a look back at McDonald's 2005 Super Bowl spot, "The Lincoln Fry," which featured a likeness of Abraham Lincoln found in an iconic McDonald's French fry and a viral campaign that included a fake blog.
Seven years later, McDonald's is trying to be Honest Abe with more corporate transparency in a bid to boost its brand perception, including being more open about its treatment of animals, as the cover of Ad Age this week attests. Read our coverage of McDonald's transparency moves below:
McDonald's Responds to Critics with Pork-Raising Move
McDonald's Takes Ammonia-Free Beef Message to China
McDonald's Responds to Animal Welfare Concerns with Temple Grandin Video
Did Jamie Oliver Influence McDonald's Ammonium Hydroxide-Free Burgers?
McDonald's Releases 2011 Sustainability Scorecard
McDonald's Kicks Off Controversial Farm to Fork Campaign
Ryan Gosling Joins Celebs Egging McDonald's to Use Cage-Free Poultry
I'm Local Farmin' It: McDonald's Goes Down on the Farm in New Campaign
McDonald’s Raps Farm Over Animal Cruelty
Listen In on McDonald's First Ever Listening Tour
McDonald's Gives In on Happy Meals
McDonald's to Introduce Multi-Year Nutrition Awareness Campaign
McDonald's to Happy Meal-Hating Mom's Suit: Just Say No
More about: McDonald's, Advertising, Brand Perception, Transparency, Lincoln Fry, Animals, Food, QSR, CSR, Corporate Citizenship, Ethics, Sustainability, Suppliers, Abraham Lincoln, Obesity, Nutrition, Activism
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As has been repeated many times this week, Dell Technologies is setting itself the challenge of becoming “the essential infrastructure company” or, as Michael Dell put it, “a technology partner that can be number one in everything, all in one place”.
That’s clearly an extremely lofty goal but, with the continuing development of the digital transformation narrative and the scale of offerings that Dell Technologies as an overarching entity can provide, it is well-placed to meet its targets.
“When you step back and look at the combined capabilities that we have and the unique capabilities that we have across what’s going on in the IT industry in terms of digital transformation, IT transformation, the workforce and security, we are in a great position,” Dell said.
“I absolutely believe that there is a big role to be the essential infrastructure company and there is massive consolidation that will go on inside the infrastructure and we are in an incredible position to be able to win that.
“The combination of Dell, EMC, VMware and Pivotal creates a unique company with special capabilities, so we feel great about the combination.”
And there are many reasons why he would feel so positive. Firstly, more and more companies of all sizes and in all industries are looking for trusted vendors as they prepare and execute their digital transformation strategies, so the market is currently ripe for the picking.
Secondly, very few companies are able to offer the sheer range of products and services that Dell has across its portfolio.
This week Dell has strengthened all manner of product lines. From hybrid cloud platforms and software-defined storage, to hyper-converged infrastructure and data protection services, the updates and announcements have been coming thick and fast.
Attention was also given to the Internet of Things (IoT) in the form of new partnerships and services to widen the company’s offering and set itself up nicely to support a workplace that will becoming increasingly dependant on connected devices and the vast amounts of data they generate.
The extensive portfolio now covers virtually every area of enterprise IT you could possibly think of and puts Dell in a prime position to woo customers with “all-in” propositions, which Michael Dell explained was a key part of the master plan behind the creation of Dell Technologies.
Car factories for Tesla in Austin, Texas and Germany are “gigantic money furnaces right now”…


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HTC definitely has a new flagship coming up for 2013, and that might be the HTC M7, the specs of which leaked today.
The M7 apparently features a 1080p resolution 4.7 inch display, with a 13 Megapixel camera with a big f/2.0 aperture at the back. All that powered by a 1.7 Ghz quad-core Snapdragon processor.
The 4.7 inch display size sounds interesting though, because so far all the 1080p screens on a mobile phone have been 5 inches with a pixel density of 440 ppi. This would mean the HTC M7’s screen would be an even more crisp, insane 468 ppi.
Looks like 1080p screens are going to be the rage of 2013, eh?
[button link=”http://www.unwiredview.com/2012/12/17/htc-m7-successor-to-the-one-x-detailed-4-7-inch-1080p-sense-5-much-more/” style=”light_gray”]via[/button]


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By Edward Nawotka, Editor-in-Chief
Earlier this week China’s Tencent Literature announced an agreement with Boston-based digital distribution platform Trajectory to export Tencent Literature’s catalogue of over 200,000 ebooks to North and South America. Furthermore, Trajectory — read more about Trajectory here — will export English-language titles and make them available to Tencent’s 800 million users.
This is just the latest in several recent events, including the launch of Alibaba’s 11 Main retail website, that demonstrates the increasing power and influence of Chinese online platforms. But when it comes to literature, this move marks the culmination of years of effort on the part of Chinese content sites, and particularly Tencent, to reach readers around the world.
Shanda and Tencent
Earlier this year Tencent finished the acquisition of Shanda Cloudary, the pioneering Chinese self-publishing and digital literature platform, which includes well-known online literature sites such as www.qidian.com and chuangshi.qq.com. The acquisition was priced at RMB 5 billion ($800 million), according to Sina Tech.
Shanda, launched in 2008, was innovative in a number of ways, not the least of which was enabling Chinese writers to freely publish online and monetize their work through micropayments from readers as well as rights and licensing deals. As of 2010, it commanded 71.5% of the Chinese reading market (according to Iresearch).
Licensing deals was baked into the Shanda model from the start, with the site finding early success with fantasy, YA, and speculative fiction which was spun off into to deals for television, film, animation and video game development. Among its most successful writers was Guo Jingming, who has become a star in his own right, producing and directing the wildly popular Tiny Times films.
This success and exploitation of IP surely made them a target for Tencent, which operates popular reading sites based on its QQ and Wechat platforms, but only established Tencent Literature in September 2013. This quickly grew throughout 2014 to some 15 million active daily users, 200,000 works of literature from 170,000 writers, with around 20 writers earning over RMB 10,000 ($1,600) a day.
Earlier this year, Tencent established a “reading group” to look at opportunities for further rights and licensing deals.
According to Analysis International, the revenue generated by digital mobile reading reading hit RMB 4.63 billion ($750 million) and is expected to reach RMB 10.32 billion ($1.65 billion) in 2015, with some 650 million active subscribers. The user base won’t be lacking.


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As I suggested would occur, the Census Bureau used its statistical voo doo in order to produce a headline report which announced a .2% increase in retail sales for November vs. October. The number still missed the Wall Street brain trust consensus forecast of .3%. If you care to engage in the useless endeavor of looking at the line items in the report, here’s the link: November Retail Sales
How do we know that retail sales in November were likely much worse than the report spoon-fed to the media/public by the Government? Because retailers cut back their hiring in November vs. November 2014 by at least 5%: November Retail Hiring Falls. If retailers were experiencing steady to increasing sales in November, retail seasonal hiring would have at least been flat.
Aside from the mystery surrounding the “seasonal adjustment” calculations, the .2% gain was engineered by revising October’s number down to $447.1 billion from the $447.3 billion originally reported. The subtle maneuver enabled the Government to report a .2% gain instead of a .1% gain. After all, it would be a catastrophe for “Black Friday” Month to show no gain from or a decline from October, which is likely what occurred.
The junk-loan financed auto boom is petering out, Obamacare premiums are hitting the mailboxes, the cost of everything needed to get by everyday (except gasoline) is rising. Consumers have little to no disposable income for holiday gift spending. I suspect most households will be cutting way back on all gift-giving other than “mandatory” gifts – kids, immediate family members, etc. This holiday season will be a disaster in terms of retail spending.
My new subscription research service, SHORT SELLER’S JOURNAL, will be focusing on retail stock short ideas over the next 4-6 weeks. I’m prepping for next week’s issue, which will be sent out either Sunday evening or Monday morning. I will likely be including a brief mining stock buy/trade recommendation in addition to stock I’ve selected to feature.
If you subscribe before Sunday evening, you’ll be able to access the current issue plus next week’s issue. Subscriber’s will get a discount on the big Kinder Morgan research I’m working on. Every day I unearth new, highly negative information on KMI.


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Furniture World News Desk on
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an evolution of how and where people live and work. There has been an increase in home buying as people increasingly have left city apartments for suburban homes. The volume of home improvement projects has also skyrocketed over the last several years, with many people who have been spending more time at home feeling anxious to enhance their environments. Simultaneously, companies are working to freshen up workplace setting as a different mix and cadence of employees return to the office. As people rethink their personal and professional environments, there are many considerations – but one constant is the demand for furniture and furnishings to finish these new living and work “spaces.”
One of the greatest challenges has been supply pressures in the industry to meet this growing demand. With furniture purchase orders up month-over-month by a staggering 7.2% in January of this year alone, furniture providers in the U.S. are struggling to keep up with the pace, with some delivery delays stretching six to eight months, if not longer. As ongoing supply chain issues, combined with labor shortages, add even more pressure to an already strained system, many buyers are growing increasingly discouraged and, consequently, furniture sellers and suppliers are getting creative – and international in their sourcing – and looking to stock their inventories with beautiful pieces from all over the world.
Enter Brazil: the sixth largest producer of furniture globally. Brazil has taken advantage of the current opportunity – where buyers are looking for unique and special pieces in a stressed supply and demand environment. As evidence, Brazilian furniture companies and designers have invested in innovative solutions that speed up production, shipping, and delivery. As a result of these efforts and more, furniture exports grew 50.9% from 2020 to 2021, with 35% of Brazil’s exports in the furniture industry specifically destined for American stores. Demand continues to go up in 2022, with early estimates showing that exports increased 42% in the first quarter of the year.
Here are three ways Brazil has elevated their furniture offerings and innovations over the past few years, positioning the country as one to watch for design catalogs, inspiration boards, wish lists, and more:
- Uniquely Brazilian:
In the 1950s, materials such as plastic, stainless steel, and fiberglass were not available in Brazil, so designers turned to natural materials such as local wood, cane, leather, and wicker – all of which are still used today. In fact, designers such as Joaquim Tenreiro, a forerunner in the industry who pioneered modernism in Brazil throughout the 20th century, leveraged the nation’s raw and natural building materials to create pieces that have since blazed the trail for global trends in the sector while making modernist design something of a national vernacular in Brazilian architecture.
Additionally, while modernist design is still fundamental to Brazilian furniture, many designers and companies have expanded their design inspiration to include elements of Brazil’s distinct landscape. As one example, designer Lia Siqueira looks to natural landscapes to create furniture made from local woods that highlight elements of Brazilian culture. Similarly, Omega Light, a lighting products and services company, creates fixtures inspired by the canoes off the shore of Brazil. Between Brazil’s rich history, dynamic landscape, and creative craftmanship, Brazilian furniture is undoubtedly unique to the country.
- Sustainability at the Forefront
As customers throughout the U.S. and all over the world become increasingly conscious of their individual environmental impact, Brazilian designers are working to reimagine their operating practices with sustainability in mind. In fact, nearly 99% of furniture companies in Brazil have environmental and/or sustainability certifications. The commitment in the industry to export products that have been verified as sustainably produced is apparent, with examples of companies like GEO Contemporary, another Brazilian lighting company, that uses local ceramic materials to construct their light fixtures in order to reduce waste at the end of a given product’s life cycle. Similarly, the aforementioned Omega Light recently developed a “Leaf” collection, which repurposes broken hangers from malls and plastic that once polluted the ocean into one of a kind light fixtures.
In an era defined by constantly changing interior trends, low-cost materials, and poor workmanship, it’s often rare to find furniture designers that prioritize sustainability. Brazilian designers, however, are staying true to their craftmanship roots in order to produce high-quality and durable pieces that are more environmentally friendly than their mass-produced alternatives. What’s more, the country as a whole has very strong environmental legislation that provides checks and balances to ensure environmental preservation is always at the forefront in the furniture sector and across other industries.
- Creativity and Variety
In recent years, Brazil’s furniture industry has become renowned for its vibrant and forward-thinking designs – with leading furniture collectors around the world seeking out Brazilian designers for their creativity. In order to drive even more recognition of the creativity Brazil’s artists are well-known for regionally, ApexBrasil, Brazil’s trade and investment promotion agency, recently sent more than 20 Brazil-based companies and 22 Brazilian designers to Casa Brasil, a two-week Brazilian experiential furniture “popup” activation in New York City’s trendy SoHo neighborhood, to showcase the best that Brazil has to offer.
Native Brazilian designer Natasha Schlobach created the sensory-packed exhibition [RF1] that perfectly captured the high-energy nature of Brazilian culture and design. Over the two weeks, Brazilian furniture designers displayed their innovative takes on flooring, lighting, seating, wallcovering, and textiles – with bold structures and unique color patterns purposed to capture the attention of American buyers, distributors, designers, and everyday consumers.
Since the start of the pandemic, furniture buyers around the world have suffered the impact of an industry crippled with shipping delays and supply chain obstacles. In the wake of these disruptions, Brazil has nimbly risen as a global furniture mecca, with sleek and sustainable designs that embody “Brasilidade” – the unique essence of Brazil. This sector has contributed to Brazil’s overall economic growth, with all goods and services produced in the country increasing 1% in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the first quarter of 2021, and the country’s overall economy seeing 1.7% growth in the same timeframes. For individuals and home design businesses looking to obtain furniture pieces that bring extraordinary and meaningful beauty to the rooms they live in, Brazilian design is worth a look.
About Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil)
ApexBrasil is the Brazilian government’s trade and investment promotion agency. Regarding the investment activity, we support international investors as they analyze the opportunities to establish a plant in Brazil, start a partnership with a Brazilian company, or commit capital in Brazil through funds and companies. Our goal is to satisfy investors needs and generate results as we attract technology, innovation, new companies and generate jobs in Brazil. For more information, visit apexbrasil.com.


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A NORTH-EAST baker has lodged a formal complaint after becoming the victim of an apparent internet prankster his afternoon.
Anyone using the search engine Google to find out information about Newcastle-based bakery Greggs would find an alternate version of the company logo at the top of the results page.
The company asked the tech giant to investigate 'as a matter of urgency', while Google said the problem was caused by an 'algorithmic bug'.
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In an apparent slur on the both the company - which has branches nationwide - and its customers, the logo contains the catchline: 'providing sh*t to scum for over 70 years'.
The Northern Echo has uncovered evidence which points to the possibility that the prankster has links with the North-East.
A Greggs spokeswoman said, in a statement: “We are aware of the abusive logo and have made a formal complaint to Google and asked them to rectify this as a matter of urgency.”
As of 3.30pm, the offensive logo was no longer visible on the search results page.
It had linked to Uncyclopedia, a satirical version of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia.
A web page showing the history of the file appeared to show the offensive version of the logo was created by an Uncyclopedia user calling themselves English Peasant.
According to their Wikipedia page, English Peasant grew up in Darlington, although this information has yet to be verified.
Social media was awash with people talking about the incident, with users taking to Twitter to discuss the issue.
In response to one of the many questions from Twitter users about the incident, the company's official Twitter account, @GreggsTheBakers, said: "Something up with Google, apparently. Fingers crossed they fix it soon."
At 4pm, Greggs tweeted the following picture, along with the tongue-in-cheek post: "Aaaand relax! Maybe those kind folks @GoogleUK could give us the doodle tomorrow?"
A Google spokeswoman joked that the Greggs had promised doughnuts when the glitch was fixed.
She added: "Google worked hard to fix an algorithmic bug as soon as it was flagged.
"From its Twitter feed, Greggs seems pleased this is resolved."
Greggs can trace its roots back to the 1930s, when John Gregg started delivering eggs and yeast to families in the Newcastle area.
It opened its first shop in 1951 and now has almost 1,700 stores across the country, employing about 20,000 people.


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The simple Sandler sales regime could be introduced across the range of financial services, says the FSA.
Speaking at the select committee last week, FSA chairman Callum McCar-thy told MPs that if the current testing of the simple sales regime on Sandler-style products proves successful, the FSA will look at whether it should be introduced across the range of financial services products.
MP Nigel Beard asked if it would be possible to separate advice from the sales process so that the same person is not doing both jobs but McCarthy said this would result in a substantial cost increase.
The Sandler review sta-ted in 2002 that a need could be filled in the UK market with a series of safer and easier to understand financial products which would be subject to a streamlined or simple style of sales regulation.
Product providers say they are still unsure if the 1.5 per cent price cap will enable them to sell stakeholder products profitably.
McCarthy said: “We are currently testing on Sandler. If this is successful, then we will look at introducing it across the range.”


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- Hyundai UK grows sales volume 1.88% in first half of 2018 to 51,041 units despite UK car market’s decline
- Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid, Plug-in, and EV achieve combined 90.3% year-on-year growth
- High customer demand sees new KONA and i30 N surpass sales expectations
The eco-focused IONIQ (+90.3%) was a stand-out performer, demonstrating the strength of consumer appetite for vehicles that provide a combination of efficiency, value, and quality. The availability in 2018 of the plug-in hybrid version of the IONIQ bolstered the company’s offering, completing the three-powertrain line-up that customers can choose within the single IONIQ body type.
Hyundai Motor’s strategy has long been to invest in new product and technology and to provide customers with greater choice and value for money. Now, more than ever, this plan is bearing fruit with Hyundai demonstrating growth in a tough new car climate.
The KONA range is set to grow further with the forthcoming KONA Electric and KONA diesel due shortly to complete the small SUV line-up. KONA diesel is available to order now, while customers can order the KONA Electric via Hyundai’s online ‘Click to Buy’ platform on 2 August. Further enhancing Hyundai’s SUV line-up, new Tucson will go on sale on 26 July with a new 2.0-litre 48 V mild-hybrid available later in the year. Further ahead, new Santa Fe will go on sale from 1 September.
The high-performance i30 N played a part in the huge rise in uptake of the new Hyundai i30, which saw volumes grow 43.4% across the hatchback, Tourer, and new Fastback range. The new body types have attracted additional customers to the Hyundai brand with the i30 now capable of delivering on quality, style, and practicality.
From 1 January to 30 June 2018, the UK car market declined 6.3% with 1,313,994 new cars registered. Alternatively-fuelled models saw the biggest growth, rising 24.2% while petrol sales increased 11.4%, both contrasting diesel’s 30.2% decline. Hyundai Motor UK was the UK’s 10th largest seller of new cars with 51,041 registrations taking 3.88% share of the market.


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NIST Offers Strategies to Help Businesses Secure Their Cyber Supply Chains
Reducing the cybersecurity risk to one of the most vulnerable aspects of commerce — global supply chains — is the goal of a new publication by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), whose computer security experts have distilled a set of effective risk management techniques into a draft guidebook for businesses. NIST is seeking public comment on the draft for the next 30 days.
Key Practices in Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (Draft NISTIR 8276) provides a set of strategies to help businesses address the cybersecurity issues posed by modern information and communications technology products, which are commonly built using components and services supplied by third-party organizations. The composed nature of these devices and systems makes them difficult to secure effectively against malware and other threats, placing manufacturers, service providers and end users at risk.


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|Spam is a popular choice of theft among|
criminals in Hawaii lately.
A weird one.
Thieves are making off with lots and lots and lots of Spam.
Of course we'd all like it if someone were to steal the spam junk that we get in our inboxes and take it away, but that's not what I'm talking about.
It's Spam the meat product, says television station KHON.
Thieves, a large proportion of them drug addicts, are stealing it so often that some stores have been locking up the Spam, like they do watches and medications to protect their stocks.
Apparently, there's two reasons why Spam is suddenly such a hot commodity on the crime circuit. For one, a lot of people in Hawaii love Spam for some reason, so it's easy to sell to gain cash to feed drug addictions.
Secondly, Hawaii lawmakers recently passed a law raising the threshold level for felony theft from $300 to $750, says KHON.
Thieves often try to stay just under that $750 threshold and they've discovered an easy way to do that is to just steal boxes or shopping carts full of Spam.
Of course, there are other items that are newly popular with thieves with the raised felony threshold, such as clothing, electronics and power tools.
But Spam seems to be the biggy. This would make a great weird episode of Hawaii Five-0 wouldn't it?
Worse, some of the criminals are getting more brazen. Instead of just running when confronted by store security, a few of them have increasingly been responding with fists, knives, even guns.
Which puts these thieves back into the felony category, but I guess they didn't think that through very well.
We hope this crime trend doesn't spread. I'm not a huge fan of Spam, but I'd hate to see stores hit with thefts like this.


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GABORONE, BOTSWANA — Botswana's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, is threatening to walk away from a diamond mining deal with industry giant De Beers unless the firm offers better terms. Under the current deal, which expires in June, Botswana - Africa's largest diamond producer – is entitled to purchase up to 25% of the stones mined in a joint venture. Analysts say Botswana is in a strong position to push for a 50-50 arrangement.
Addressing ruling party supporters in his home village of Moshupa, just outside Gaborone, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said his country is well positioned to push for a better deal with De Beers.
“We now know how the diamond industry operates. We used to receive 10% of the stake, but now, under my leadership, we are receiving 25%," he said.
Botswana currently earns about $4.5 billion per year in sales, taxes and royalties from its contract with De Beers.
Masisi says if negotiations with the South African diamond company break down, then Botswana is prepared to pull out of the long-standing arrangement.
“We are dealing with a giant. It is the first time it has been shaken like this. We want what is ours. This is our company, we want a majority stake, and we are doing so through negotiations. If the talks become difficult, we will say, no, let everyone pack and go separate ways,” he said.
It is unclear what other options Botswana might have, but a Belgian-based researcher on diamond mining, Hans Merket, says there could be an alternative.
Merket notes President Masisi’s praise for another supply arrangement between private diamond miner Lucara, which operates a mine in Botswana, and Belgian-based buyer, HB Antwerp.
The two entered into an agreement, which sees HB Antwerp purchase all of Lucara’s large high value diamonds.
“Botswana’s President Masisi has regularly praised the business arrangement between HB Antwerp and Lucara. In the current arrangement with De Beers, Botswana fears it is missing out on the profits from its diamonds, because it has no idea of or control over how much value the country's rough production generates further down the supply chain after it is cut and polished,” he said.
Merket therefore suggests Botswana could be looking for a much more beneficial arrangement similar to Lucara and HB Antwerp’s.
“The business model between HB Antwerp and Lucara closes this gap through a vertically integrated supply chain that generates that allows all parties, including the government, to share in the profit from the final polished products,” he said.
The leader of Botswana’s main opposition party, Dithapelo Keorapetse, recently told parliament that the government needs to be more transparent with its mining deals.
“Mining agreements are not even available to the auditor general as they’re considered to be confidential, especially for Debswana or companies with partnership with the Botswana Government. Who then guards the guardians? Who scrutinizes these agreements? What is the role of parliament?”asked Keorapetse.
A 10-year sales agreement between Botswana and De Beers expired in 2021 but was extended to June 2023, pending negotiations.


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Glasses-less 3-D coming to future TVs
February 23, 2012 // Dylan McGrath
Future televisions will be smarter, more intuitive and feature even more technically logical advanced displays, according to a panel of experts at the International Solid State Circuits Conference on Tuesday (February 21). Among the technologies that will become more prevalent in coming years are glasses-less 3-D technology and free-viewpoint television (FTV)—a a visual media that allows users to view a 3-D scene by freely changing the viewpoint, as if they were there, panelists said.
"Over the last few years, there have been big changes in mobile phones and communication devices. I think similar changes will happen in television, as well," said David Min, vice president of LG Electronics' software center. "However, I think the changes that will happen in TV will be somewhat different from what has happened in mobile phones."
Min predicted that future TVs would incorporate more "smart" functionality, more connectivity, better quality displays and virtual reality capability.
"Being smart is about providing some connectivity," Min said. "In the old days, the TV was nothing but a medium. But with connectivity, the TV is getting more intelligent."
Several panelists talked about the need for standardization in TV platforms. Min said consumers would decide whether platforms such as Google TV would proliferate.
Yuzo Hirayama, chief research scientist at Toshiba's multimedia laboratory, said the near future of 3-D TV involves glasses-less technology. Toshiba has been selling since 2010 20- and 12-inch 3-D TVs in Japan which do not require glasses, Hirayama said, and recently demonstrated the first "large sized" glasses-less 3-D screen, with a diagonal measure of 55-inches, he said.
Hirayama showed data from DisplaySearch that forecasted that the market for 3-D TVs would grow from under 25 million units and under $3 billion in 2011 to more than 200 million units and nearly $20 billion in 2018.
Also Tuesday, Masayuki Tanimoto, a professor from Japan's Nagoya University, presented information on the latest developments in free-viewpoint television, which uses dozens of cameras to capture 3-D images that users can navigate through any viewpoint to as though they were there. While the technology is still many years away from commercial availability, Tanimoto told the audience that part of Japan's bid for hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup included making FTV of all of the soccer games available. Unfortunately, Japan's bid was not accepted.
"New" MEMS evolution coming, predicts Yole
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Network testing via smartphone
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InterviewCEO interview: AMS' Laney on driving a sensor-driven business
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Filter WizardCheck out the Filter Wizard Series of articles by Filter Guru Kendall Castor-Perry which provide invaluable practical Analog Design guidelines.
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December 15, 2011 | Texas instruments | 222901974
Unique Ser/Des technology supports encrypted video and audio content with full duplex bi-directional control channel over a single wire interface.


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Consumers have planty of excuses to party this summer, so retailers need to be ready with the soft drinks to suit.
On paper the signs are ominous: unemployment is at its highest for 17 years 86% of shoppers believe that the country is in recession (Britvic) food prices are rising and fuel prices are seemingly sky-rocketing. You no doubt read about the relentless economic gloom every day in the papers.
And yet, the cloud is silver-lined. First, despite falling consumer confidence, the soft drinks category remains buoyant. In 2011, soft drinks grew by 7% in value across take-home to reach nearly £7bn (Nielsen) - albeit driven by price increases and a rise in VAT - but volume growth was still up at 1%. The independent sector fared less well, with only 1% value growth and a 2% drop in volume. However, given the circumstances, the category is nevertheless holding up well within the sector, with health and value trends driving it forward.
GSK category marketing director Colin Seymour says people’s attitudes are becoming less austere than when the country first slid into recession a few years ago. “Consumers are feeling the squeeze even more than when we were in recession, but there’s a different reaction this time round. Before, there was a drive to the lowest price and people were taking an austere view, but there’s only so long you can go on like that,” he says. “Soft drinks are a part of what keep people sane - they’re a little treat.”
Coca-Cola Enterprises’ (CCE) wholesale trading director Darren Goldney adds: “In times when disposable income is under threat, consumers tend to continue buying brands they know and trust such as Coca-Cola.”
“The consumer is looking for value and anything that states that - be it pricemarked packs or own brand. Many people look at PMPs only now, and the pricemarked Coke is flying out.
“Energy drinks are the number one sellers for us, with Musgrave’s Dart energy drink the top-seller overall. There’s a huge difference in price between Dart and Red Bull. However, the big brands have a strong position in the market and Lucozade Orange is doing really well.
“The key thing to success in this category is deals. It’s really good for PMPs, and multi-buy purchases do well as the product won’t expire.”
Ramesh Shingadia, Londis Southwater, West Sussex
Bottlegreen managing director Simon Speers agrees that consumers have made it clear that there are certain elements they aren’t willing to sacrifice. “With the turbulent economic environment continuing we have certainly seen a trend towards consumers enjoying an increased number of ‘treats’ at home,” he adds.
New research from HIM’s Forward to the Future survey backs up the ‘big brand’ theory - it found that 27% of consumers think that convenience stores could improve their range of well-known brands, while 24% of retailers agree.
So retailers can capitalise on consumers’ enduring demand for soft drinks, but they can also tap into changing shopping habits. Amanda Grabham, head of brand marketing for Shloer, says: “People are shopping more locally and more frequently, so there’s a big opportunity for convenience stores. At a recent Nielsen meeting I attended, c-stores were talked about more than ever before.”
The cost of running a car is a significant factor, she adds. “People are becoming more and more aware of what they’re spending on transport. It impacts on top-up shopping, as shoppers are spending more in local shops than on fuel.”
Health has become an increasingly important trend in soft drinks over the past 10 years, and one which has been resilient throughout the recession, says GSK’s Seymour. “We’ll see continued growth of products with functional health benefits, such as Ribena Plus,” he adds. Bottlegreen’s Speers says there is an increasing awareness of health issues that is leading people to seek more functionality in their drinks “and look for alternative non-alcoholic drinks that deliver on taste”.
The rapid growth of flavoured water in impulse (up 23.6% to £49m - Nielsen) reflects the demand for ‘wellness’ products. Volvic Touch of Fruit Original saw the highest growth in impulse, up 38% in value, while SoBe V Water maintained its upward momentum, growing 26% in value. Glaceau Vitaminwater also saw strong growth. “Health is a really important factor,” Seymour says. “But it means different things to different people - Diet Coke is healthy to some, but unhealthy to others because of the artificial sweeteners others prefer Coke because it doesn’t have artificial sweeteners. Some think juice is the healthy option, others think water, and some think sports drinks. So be careful to stock all options.”
Sports drinks hit with VAT
Under surprise proposals made by Chancellor George Osborne in this year’s Budget, some sports nutrition drinks will be subject to the 20%VAT rate for the first time from October 1. Currently, such drinks are zero-rated for VAT.
The government has announced it will hold a short consultation of just six weeks on the tax increase. It claims the rise will cost each business an average of £40, but an alliance of UK sports nutrition companies claims the impact assessment is “deeply flawed”.
The UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (UK SSNA) has pledged to fight what it calls a “health tax”. Clive Whitehouse, campaign director of the UK SSNA, said: “With the Olympics around the corner and an ever-growing national problem of obesity, it makes no sense for the government to hike up the cost of products designed to promote good health.
“By cutting the length of its consultation, the government clearly expects to force this through with Parliament away for the Easter holidays. This measure is ill-considered, unwelcome and will either push consumers away from healthy products or towards alternatives they find on the web that will be unregulated.”
The UK SSNA has launched a petition that it hopes will generate 10,000 signatures in an open letter to George Osborne, calling for him to reverse his decisions. Find it at www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/vatonsportsdrinks.
Sports and energy drinks offer additional functional benefits, and the sub-category continues to surge ahead. Glucose/stimulant drinks, as defined in Britvic’s soft drinks report, grew by 17.9% in value and 18.8% in volume in impulse last year. Lucozade was the leading brand last year, growing 6% in value in take-home, followed by Red Bull, which grew by 5%. Monster Energy grew 46% year on year, becoming the fifth-placed brand by volume, while Mountain Dew energy grew in stature with value increasing 269% to £18m. The 440ml, six-pack and 1ltr formats helped drive the latter’s success.
Red Bull’s low-calorie variant, Red Bull Sugarfree, will be backed by £2m investment in 2012, which will target consumers who want a low-calorie, functional energy drinks.
Vimto Soft Drinks is responding to the health trend with the launch of its new WeightWatchers range with no added sugar. The product range has been developed following extensive consumer research that identified a genuine gap in the market for refreshing, low-calorie, premium-flavoured adult drinks, according to Vimto. “More and more consumers are opting for food and drink that will support healthier lifestyles and, as a result, there will be interest in low-calorie soft drinks options on the market,” says Vimto Soft Drinks marketing manager Emma Hunt.
Lucozade is tapping into the demand for energy and healthy drinks with the launch of Revive, which contains B vitamins and only 50 calories per bottle, and more recently Lucozade Caribbean Crush, which was part-inspired by the growth of exotic flavours. Says Seymour: “Exotic flavours are the fastest growing flavour over the past 12 months - growing by 22% - due to activity by some of our competitors, such as Levi Roots’ products and Rubicon. ”
In fact, 2012 will be characterised by NPD and new packaging, says Britvic customer management director Murray Harris. Seymour adds: “Soft drinks wouldn’t grow without NPD. Innovation from big brands makes the big difference.”
Shloer’s Grabham says there continues to be a lot of innovation around limited editions. “Last year our fruit punch and berry punch limited editions brought in 100,000 extra households to the brand.” Shloer this month brought back the Fruit Punch limited edition for the start of the barbecue season, in response to consumer and trade demand. It will be available until December.
Grabham says Shloer is an ideal alternative for adults looking for an alternative to alcohol. “There are lots of cases when people want something that allows them to be part of a social occasion when they’re not drinking alcohol. With Shloer, you can drink it in wine glasses.”
She says only one in four c-stores stock Shloer, even though it’s the number one adult soft drink and up 7% in the past 12 months. “We see an uplift every bank holiday,” she points out.
Shloer faces competition from Halewood International, which is launching the first ever carbonated soft drink to be made with named grape styles - chardonnay, merlot or sauvignon blanc. The product, Faith, is the adult soft drink that “women are crying out for”, asserts Halewood. Faith is available in three flavours: Faith White, which blends sauvignon blanc grapes with an infusion of elderflower and lemon Faith Rose, which combines chardonnay grapes with cranberry and raspberry flavours and Faith Red, which adds plum and blackcurrant notes to merlot grapes. Packaged in a 750ml clear glass bottle, consumers are advised to serve Faith in a large wine glass over ice. “We feel that the female market has been searching for a product like Faith for a while and the launch will drive the category further,” says director of innovation Richard Clark.
Meanwhile, Levi Roots has extended its range of soft drinks with a mango & pineapple-flavoured carbonate, building on its reputation for offering fruit-flavoured blends with a Caribbean twist, which recognised the aforementioned growing consumer thirst for exotic fruit flavours. Rubicon has launched its mango and guava variants in a 500ml PET bottle for on-the-go consumption. “Rubicon PET provides retailers with a major incremental profit opportunity as we are plugging the gap in the out-of-home market for an authentic exotic juice product,” says AG Barr head of marketing Adrian Troy.
Value and PMP
Consumers want to stick to the brands they know and love, but they also want value. The key is to find a balance between price and added benefits - and one of those keys is pricemarked packs, says Seymour. The Forward to the Future survey showed 74% of consumers believe convenience stores need to do more to offer value for money, and PMPs are a dependable solution. Research cited by CCE shows 98% of shoppers want PMPs, but only 78% of retailers stock them. CCE’s Goldney says: “Shoppers perceive PMPs as a special offer and this contributes to overall positive price and value perception, resulting in improved rate of sale with the added benefit of driving footfall in store for retailers. PMPs are particularly popular on soft drinks, to stock in chillers and on shelf, as they clearly drive purchase.” He adds that consumers are 44% more likely to buy a soft drink on impulse if it is a PMP (HIM PMP study 2011).
CCE has extended its range of PMPs for independent retailers across on-the-go and ‘future consumption’ packs. This includes Coke, diet Coke, Coke Zero and Cherry Coke cans at 59p PMP, and Powerade Sports 500ml 99p PMP. In future consumption CCE has rolled out pricemarked: MyCoke 2ltr £1.99 My Coke 1.25ltr £1.39 MyCoke 330ml can four-pack £1.89 Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper 2ltr £1.99 Schweppes Lemonade 2ltr £1.49 Ocean Spray 1ltr £1.35 and Five Alive 1ltr £1.29.
“We believe PMPs offer a strong sales proposition for retailers, and we are making a significant investment in 2012 behind PMPs across our soft drinks portfolio,” says Goldney. “In what is a hugely exciting year ahead with a massive summer of sport and celebration, this will help to support our independent customers and drive purchase.”
Tropicana has recently introduced limited-edition, £1 PMPs across its leading 330ml formats - Tropicana Original Tropicana Smooth and Copella English Apple - all of which will be available throughout the summer.
Vimto Soft Drinks also offers PMPs across most of its range, including a Sunkist £1 2ltr orange, Levi Roots 99p 500ml bottles and Vimto 2ltr Fizzy for £1.75. In addition, Sunkist has just launched an additional PET option for its existing Tropical Fruits flavour in the impulse market, which is available for a £1 PMP to encourage trial. “Value for money will remain an important factor when shoppers are choosing soft drinks and so retailers need to ensure they stock big-name brands that can offer added value such as PMPs, promotions and excellent profit margin,” says Vimto’s Hunt.
Summer of sport
A major opportunity for retailers is a summer rich in cultural and sporting events, including the Olympics, European Championships, Jubilee and the extra bank holiday. Retailers can capitalise on the celebratory summer by creating a theme in store, which will combine to raise the excitement levels and reinforce the message that the shop has everything in stock to enable celebrations at home, says Hunt. “Creating a display, which includes soft drinks and snacks in packs for sharing, will also encourage cross-purchasing,” she adds.
Retailers should also ensure availability of large sharing packs over the summer as consumers celebrate the major summer events at home, Hunt says. But availability in general is crucial, according to CCE’s Open More Business report. Research by HIM shows that 62% of shoppers who cite availability of soft drinks as a concern say they would either go without buying an alternative or buy the item elsewhere if it is out of stock.
Olympics partner CCE is launching a number of initiatives over the summer. Powerade, which is hydrating Olympic athletes, is running an exclusive on-pack promotion giving away the Powerade Olympic Games sports bottle free with every purchase. The bottle, which features the Olympic Games rings, is the same bottle that will be used in the Olympic Village. The promotion will run until the end of October and will feature on promotional packs of Powerade ION4 and Powerade Zero.
Schweppes Abbey Well is celebrating its status as the Official Water of the Olympics with a design conveying the quintessentially British heritage of the brand, which is taken from a single source in Northumberland, says CCE.
Danone Waters urges retailers to make additional space for water this summer as it is the most responsive soft drinks category to temperature changes. “The hotter its gets, the more water consumed,” says Danone Water marketing director Blandine Stefani. “Retailers should consider increasing the space on fixture and adding extra secondary space via dump bins and freestanding display units.”
Evian is the top seller with a 27% share (Nielsen), followed by Volvic with a 24% share. But Highland Spring and Buxton both saw volume increase by 2% and 3% respectively last year (Britvic Soft Drinks report).
Danone Waters recently introduced Volvic Juiced - a blend of fruit juice and Volvic natural mineral water - for consumers who “love flavoured drinks but can find them too heavy and are looking for a more refreshing drinking experience”.
Volvic Juiced is available in Orchard Apple and Cloudy Lemon and is available in 50cl PET bottles packed in cases of six with an rrp of £1.29 per bottle.
“Our consumer research confirmed that there is a consumer need and gap in the market for a drink that would combine all the taste appeal and vibrancy of a juice drink with the drinkability and thirst quenching properties of water,” says Stefani.
Squash - double or nothing?
Squash performed robustly in 2011, growing in value by 3.2% to £38.9m and by 0.8% in volume. In contrast, the category fell by 6.9% in volume in the grocery multiples sector (Nielsen). Ribena, ranked second to Robinsons, saw sales rise 15% in value on the back of extensive promotions, while Robinsons saw an overall decline of 4% as it continued its transition from single to double concentrate (Britvic Soft Drinks report).
Britvic commercial director, Impulse, Kate Fletcher, says demand for smaller pack sizes is driving the transition to double concentrate. Own label moved to double concentrate for point of difference, and Robinsons followed last April. “The smaller size is suitable for kids as they can pour themselves a drink more easily. It also reduces food miles so cuts costs,” she adds.
But the jury is out on double concentrate. Private label double concentrate has grown by 21.7% in the past 12 months, but branded squash has performed less well when moving into double concentrate. Robinsons double concentrate has declined by 5.9% over the past 12 months, whereas their single concentrate 1ltr size has remained in 3.2% growth, leaving the overall brand in decline.
Seymour says squash was lagging before the recession, but people are now discovering the old brands in the category because it’s “reassuring to buy something they know”. Bottlegreen managing director Simon Speers adds: “Premium cordials are the main driver of growth within the adult soft drink market and appeal to consumers looking for products that deliver on taste, quality and choice.”
Bottlegreen says its 11% year-on-year growth (Nielsen) is driven by its response to demand for new flavours and tastes from trusted brands. Last summer it launched Bottlegreen strawberry & elderflower cordial, which returns again between April and October. This year it has launched lime & coconut cordial, which is “perfect for entertaining and makes a great base for cocktails” says Speers.
Meanwhile, Vimto will be targeting millions of mums this summer in a nationwide campaign. The multi-million pound campaign, which is the latest phase of the brand’s Seriously Mixed Up Fruit series, will reach nearly 90% of mums in the UK. Vimto cordial is the ideal choice for mums, says the company’s Hunt. “It’s a good value, versatile drink that goes further for the family, and with its mixture of grape, blackcurrant and raspberry provides more variety than traditional single-flavoured squashes.” As part of the campaign the brand is releasing 25 million 30p money-off coupons. •
Milk consumption may be in decline, but sales of flavoured milk and milkshakes are on the up. The flavoured milk category is currently growing at 11.7% in value (Nielsen) and is forecast to account for 6.1% of the total market in 2012 (Mintel).
According to Yazoo, on-the-go consumption is driving this growth, with more than 52 million milkshakes consumed out of home every year.
The choice of flavoured milks has doubled over the past 18 months, from 16 lines in 2010 to an estimated 20 for 2012, says Helen Cridge, trade marketing manager at FrieslandCampina. As such, she urges retailers to stock a strong chilled range to help maximise sales opportunities, “particularly among young male adults looking for a treat to perk them up on the go”.
Yazoo has recently undergone a packaging makeover to create a bigger, bolder design and attract a wider audience. “Flavour is one of the key purchase triggers for consumers when choosing flavoured milk and it was vital that the new design brought each of the flavours to life,” says Cridge.
Yazoo has also responded to the trend for pricemarked packs by launching a new 99p PMP exclusively to the convenience sector, available to small stores until the end of August 2012.
To further encourage sales, the company has launched a multi-media campaign aimed at its young adult audience. The campaign, Shake Squad, is being supported by social media, with fans of Yazoo eligible to enter a competition running on Facebook to win one of eight weekly giveaways of £250 and a grand prize of £10,000.
Entrants are encouraged to upload their own Shake Squad-style photo or pose, to be voted on by other Facebook users in order to win.


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Amman Design Week: Highlighting the need for more support of creative initiatives
ADW started on September 1 and concluded on September 9, showcasing works of more than 60 local, regional, and international designers and artists at three main venues. (Amman Design Week)
As the Amman Design Week (ADW) concluded on Friday, designers, architects, and visitors voiced hope more attention would be paid to the design sector in the Kingdom to pave the way for more creative initiatives.
At a discussion on Thursday, Jordanian designers Ahmad Sabbagh and Ahmad Humeid said designers should “pay back to the community” by proposing projects that offer solutions.
Sabbagh, who published the Amman unofficial transport map in collaboration with the Maan Nasel initiative, said the work was mainly done by volunteers in Amman to identify the routes taken by residents.
“The data at hand, available on Google Maps, was provided to us by volunteers and we analysed and studied them to come up with a network we can implement the map on,” he told The Jordan Times.
“If the designer did not pay back to his community, I feel that his experience would go to waste. Designers are talented, and I believe they should use that for themselves and the country, because it is part of their responsibilities,” Sabbagh added.
Humeid, CEO of Syntax Digital Design company, said there is a gap between the available talents in the country and the mainstream reality people live in.
“From a designer’s point of view, I see so much talent on the one hand, but I don’t see it on the street. The same goes for architecture; there [are many] good architects but you find that most of the architecture in Amman is actually mediocre,” he added.
The ADW, Humeid said, has created more awareness among the public, government officials, and economists on the design sector promoting the role of designers in building the city and reviving its venues.
“Designers look at problems from what we call a humancentric point of view… it’s about how we can solve a problem from the perspective of the user… design is a very wide spectrum of activities, it’s important that the opportunity of ADW isn’t wasted,” he said.
Visitor Zein Shihadeh said the ADW has promoted local and regional designers and exposed local talents in the country.
“They needed this push… I really liked pieces that require interaction with the viewer, when you look at [them], you keep thinking of every single person and what they were thinking of when they touch the pieces,” she told The Jordan Times.
Participant Melena Hinnawi said throughout the ADW, visitors were impressed by the 3D-printing devices and services showcased at the Jordan Museum’s MakerSpace.
“They realised that it isn’t difficult to create models, designs, and sketches on one device; people were very happy to try the 3D printers,” she told The Jordan Times.
Architect Hanna Salameh, who showcased a piece titled “Flow Off” at the design week, said the idea of his piece is to place it in public spaces and allow people to interact with it without explanation.
“The idea is to keep the piece simple and have people play with it; it’s a very simple white structure, made of 28 floating disks that can be pushed around and start moving and creating organic forms,” he added.
“We were very pleased to see people actually interacting with the piece, and getting the point without us telling them that they can create their own shapes,” the architect added.
Architect Dina Haddadin, who was the curator for the Raghadan Tourist Terminal, said organisers prepared for the Raghadan venue for more than nine months.
There were 25 shops selected from 120 options at the venue, she said, adding that the team selected three plazas “to revive them”.
The Crafts District in Raghadan had a role in empowering the underprivileged and women, Haddadin added, by bringing people together from rural areas and governorates.
“We aimed to bring back the value of handmade designs and address the misconception that crafts are only about traditional designs. We can combine the old with the new, to design and make crafts at the same time,” she told The Jordan Times on Friday.
“The event created a platform for young and established designers in Amman to benefit the industry as a whole. The outcome after such events would definitely be different, more collaborations lead to better results,” Haddadin said.
Organisers said that at each venue, the number of visitors on average every day reached 1,400, with around 30,000 visitors throughout the week.
ADW started on September 1 and concluded on September 9, showcasing works of more than 60 local, regional, and international designers and artists at three main venues: Ras Al Ain Gallery Hangar, the Jordan Museum, and Raghadan Tourist Terminal.
Some exhibitions and workshops were held at different galleries in Jabal Amman, downtown, Jabal Luweibdeh, and King Hussein Business Park.
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- Jordan Ahli Bank contributes to the shaping of Amman’s modern identity by supporting the ArtForAll initiative
- Dubai Culture to mark UAE Innovation Week with launch of virtual cultural platform, Art Lab and children’s creative workshop
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LG Electronics plans to release televisions running Google TV in the U.S. by May 21, according to a report.
The South Korea-based company made the announcement early Monday, but offered no details such as pricing, display sizes, or specs, according to Reuters. An LG representative was unavailable for comment at the time of this writing.
LG-made Google TVs have been expected for several months after speculation about an LG Google TV surfaced in November. The company followed up those rumors with a January debut of its Google TV plans during CES 2012 in Las Vegas. The gadget maker said its Google TV-powered sets would include LG Cinema 3D displays between 55 and 84 inches (diagonal), a 3D conversion engine that can turn any 2D TV show or movie into a 3D spectacle, and an LG Magic Remote including a QWERTY keyboard.
LG's anticipated Google TV launch will likely be welcomed by the search giant as it struggles to keep relevant its platform designed to merge the Web with broadcast television. The company in October launched an overhaul of Google TV with a new streamlined interface and Android app support. But two years have passed since its debut in 2010 and Google TV is still supported in the U.S. largely by Logitech and Sony devices.
Logitech announced in November that it will cease producing new Google TV devices after losing millions on developing and selling the Revue, a Google TV-powered set-top box. Sony is focusing mainly on its “four screens” strategy that will tie its televisions, smartphones, tablets, and PCs into one Apple-like ecosystem. Meanwhile, LG will sell Google TV-powered sets alongside its own NetCast smart TV platform. Other manufacturers expected to roll out new Google TV devices include Vizio and Samsung.
Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt in December predicted that most TVs sold by summer 2012 will come with Google TV on board.
This story, "Google TVs Made by LG Expected in U.S. on May 21" was originally published by PCWorld.


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Management guru Peter Drucker said in the early 1990s: "In 10-15 years, organizations may be outsourcing all work that is 'supportive' rather than revenue-producing."
Take the plunge
Water management has been a major concern since the dawn of Chinese civilization on the banks of the mighty Yellow River. Our ancestors built a costly system of dams and canals to harness the many rivers and tributaries that crisscross the country for irrigation and transport purposes.
Undaunted by the chilly winter temperatures hanging over northern parts of China, world-leading ice cream maker Nestle has kicked off its marketing campaign for 2006.


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While Sprint may no longer be selling any Windows Phones, the good news is that they have not abandoned their Windows Phone customers either.
At the end of October they told us that they plan to deliver the Windows Phone 8.1 update to the HTC 8XT in early December 2014, and today they re-iterated that the update is still on its way this month.
@ThatOneGuy4549 We’re planning to push the update out this month. Stay tuned here for the latest news on updates for our devices.
— HTC (@htc) December 6, 2014
Windows Phone 8.1 will bring a large number of welcome features to the now venerable handset, including start screen backgrounds, VPN, folders, action and notification centre and more, but will of course not deliver Lumia-specific features such as improved camera performance.
Thanks Yalç?n for the tip.


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Nissan to announce landmark sponsorship with Klyde Warren Park
DALLAS, TEXAS (July 7, 2016) – Klyde Warren Park is delighted to announce a landmark sponsorship with Nissan, officially naming the brand a Premier Sponsor and the official vehicle of the Park. To celebrate the partnership, Nissan is unveiling the all-new Pathfinder in the park’s unique urban setting.
A true example of “innovation that excites,” Klyde Warren Park has changed the landscape of Dallas. By physically connecting downtown and Uptown while providing free programming, events and educational opportunities, the park fosters relationships between community members and supporters.
“Today Nissan joins a wonderful group of benefactors who allow our privately run park to continue to supply the fun for our growing number of guests,” said Jody Grant, Chairman of the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation.
With more than one million visitors and 1,300 free programs in the park every year, Nissan warmly embraced the opportunity to become a Premier Sponsor of the park and a Presenting Sponsor of key signature events. Through the partnership, Nissan will also be a sponsor of the park’s free Wi-Fi and serve as the park’s official vehicle.
“It is my hope that through this multi-year sponsorship, we can help the park continue to produce the exceptional programming and events that the community has come to depend on,” said Jose Munoz, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Chairman, Nissan North America, Inc.
“There truly is always something to do at Klyde Warren Park, which makes it the perfect setting to debut our new Pathfinder, which is even more ready for adventure than before,” continued Munoz.
The newest SUV in the Nissan lineup, the reimagined Pathfinder, is more capable, powerful and adventure-ready than before.
This new partnership with Klyde Warren Park adds yet another element to Nissan’s, longstanding, 35-year presence in Texas. Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporate (NMAC), Nissan’s financial arm, has been part of the Dallas community since 1981.
In fiscal year 2015, NMAC helped a record number of buyers finance or lease their new Nissan cars and Infiniti cars, trucks and SUVs. Texas is home to 73 Nissan dealerships and 7,000 employees – all who are highly involved in their local communities.
ABOUT KLYDE WARREN PARK
Klyde Warren Park is a 5.2-acre deck park, bridging Uptown Dallas to downtown Dallas. The park is privately-funded and operated by the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation to connect the community and enrich lives through free active programming and educational opportunities in a pristine and safe, centrally-located, entertainment-rich greenspace where everyone is welcome. Corporate partnerships and donations ensure that this mission will continue today and into the future.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 247,500 employees globally, Nissan sold 5.32 million vehicles and generated revenue of 11.38 trillion yen (USD 103.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. Nissan leads the world in zero-emission mobility, dominated by sales of the LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle. It is the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.
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Rail overhaul unveiled
The country yesterday unveiled a radical overhaul of its COVID-19-plagued privatized rail sector that would see franchises replaced with concessions subject to tougher scrutiny and greater state involvement. “Ministers today ended rail franchising after 24 years as the first step in bringing Britain’s fragmented network back together. The new system will create a simpler, more effective structure and will take shape over the coming months,” the Department for Transport said in a statement. The government in March decided to take on franchise holders’ revenue and cost risks, as the COVID-19 pandemic decimated passenger demand for rail travel.
Superdry outlook murky
Superdry PLC cofounder Julian Dunkerton would have to wait to see whether his turnaround plan is working, as the UK apparel chain was hit hard by the pandemic. The retailer, known for outerwear emblazoned with Japanese characters, lost about ￡42 million (US$54 million) on an underlying basis in the year through April, compared with a profit of ￡38 million the prior year. Write-downs related to its real-estate holdings contributed to the shortfall. Superdry said business this year is improving, with online sales nearly doubling year-on-year in the first quarter, but said there is a “material uncertainty” over the outlook.
Airline struggles with refunds
Philippine Airlines Inc said that it has received refund requests totaling 15.9 billion pesos (US$329 million) amid the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking customers’ understanding, as it has only paid back 80 percent of the amount. The carrier has canceled more than 60,000 flights since March, affecting more than 1.3 million passengers, it said in a statement. Asia’s oldest airline has restored nearly 15 percent of its local and international network and plans to ramp up flights as travel and quarantine restrictions ease.
Iliad to buy Polish telecom
Iliad SA has agreed to buy Polish telecom Play Communications SA for 2.2 billion euros (US$2.6 billion) as it expands across Europe. French billionaire Xavier Niel’s Iliad has offered 39 zloty per share for Play, and has received binding commitments from two controlling shareholders for their 40 percent stake, the companies said in a statement yesterday. The offer is a 39 percent premium to the company’s closing share price on Friday. Play Communications, which is the youngest of Poland’s four biggest mobile telecoms, started operating in 2007. It is controlled by Greece’s Olympia Development SA and Iceland’s Novator Partners LLP.
Financial bill planned
The country plans to buttress the City of London’s global competitiveness and openness once it moves outside the EU with new financial services sector legislation. Although the country left the EU in January, its unfettered access to the bloc for banks and other financial firms does not end until December, when transition arrangements expire. Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Glen yesterday said that the new Financial Services Bill would create a modern, flexible and robust system of financial regulation. The EU, the City of London’s biggest customer, has said it would give British clearing houses temporary access.
Contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to remain the third-largest IC supplier this year, unchanged from last year, IC Insights said yesterday. IC designer MediaTek Inc (聯發科) is expected to become the 11th-largest, up from 16th last year, the semiconductor market research firm said. TSMC is expected to post US$45.42 billion in sales, up 31 percent from last year, IC Insights said in a report released on its Web site. TSMC’s sales growth is largely due to a surge in orders from Apple Inc and HiSilicon Technologies Co (海思半導體) — two of its major clients — which
SETTING AN EXAMPLE: The commission suspended the bank’s two top executives as ‘a warning to all banks,’ while the fine is the biggest to be given to a bank in a single case The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) yesterday fined E.Sun Commercial Bank (玉山銀行) NT$20 million (US$693,698) over a theft scandal and punished the bank’s two top executives. A customer relationship manager surnamed Pan (潘) at the bank’s branch in Kaohsiung’s Fengshan District (鳳山) stole NT$140 million from 41 clients over the past seven years, the commission said. Pan secretly transferred the stolen money to accounts belonging to her and her family members by using clients’ debit cards, passwords or documents that were stamped using the clients’ personal stamps between July 2013 and June this year, the commission said. The commission suspended Ben Chen (陳炳良), the
HARD ASK: At a meeting held by the MOEA to talk about the RCEP trade deal, trade associations said that they expect the government to push for more free-trade deals Business representatives yesterday urged the government to slow the appreciation of the New Taiwan dollar, saying that some Taiwanese industries have been undercut by rivals due to unfavorable foreign exchange rates. The government should also assist local industries to expand their domestic market, and push for more bilateral trade deals so that Taiwanese companies can enjoy zero or preferential tariffs on exports, following the nation’s exclusion from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which was signed by 15 Asia-Pacific nations on Nov. 15, they said at a meeting with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). Some participants said that the NT dollar’s
BREATH OF LIFE: The firm said the under-utilized plant should start mass production in the first quarter, timed to coincide with Intel Corp’s release of its Ice Lake server chip Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) plans to assemble key components for Google servers at its plant in Wisconsin, people familiar with the matter said, finally breathing life into a factory that US President Donald Trump hailed as crucial to bringing manufacturing back to the US. The company has decided to locate production for this new contract at the existing complex rather than make the components at home or in China, the people said, asking not to be identified. The under-utilized plant should start mass production in the first quarter, timed with the release of Intel Corp’s Ice Lake server chips,


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The current iPhone lineup was launched a couple of months ago, but Apple is already working on the 2020 iPhone models. Now, there’s a new report from Digitimes that talks about the new displays that we could get.
The latest rumor concerning the 2020 iPhone lineup now mentions a new ‘ProMotion’ display with 120Hz refresh rate. This display first came to Apple products in 2017 with the 2017 iPad Pros. The main difference is that iPhones use OLED panels, and the iPads use LCDs. This new refresh rate speed would make swiping, scrolling, and other animations feel more fluid, and they would also improve media content consumption.